Princeton police Lt. Matthew Solovay has been promoted to the rank of captain in the Princeton Police Department.
Solovay was named to his new position by the Princeton Council at its Sept. 23 meeting. The promotion was made effective immediately. He replaces former police Capt. Christopher Tash, who was promoted to chief of police.
“(Solovay’s) consistent demonstration of the requisite competencies makes him exceptionally suited for this new role,” Tash wrote in a memorandum to Administrator Bernard Hvozdovic.
“With a highly successful career thus far, I have full confidence that he will excel in all future responsibilities within the police department,” Tash wrote.
Solovay began his career with the former Princeton Township Police Department in January 2005, after graduating from the John H. Stamler Police Academy in Union County.
The former Princeton Township Police Department and the former Princeton Borough Police Department merged to create the Princeton Police Department, following consolidation of the two former municipalities in 2013.
Solovay served in the former Princeton Township Police Department’s patrol bureau for five years, until he was reassigned to the Traffic Safety Bureau in 2010.
He was promoted to the rank of corporal in 2011 and was reassigned to the patrol bureau, where he remained through consolidation.
Solovay helped to establish the Princeton Police Department’s K9 program, which pairs a police officer with a specially trained dog. He became its first K9 handler. He attended the New Jersey State Police K9 Academy and was chosen as the class speaker.
Solovay and K9 Officer Harris served the Princeton Police Department in numerous capacities. Solovay and the dog were members of the New Jersey Detect and Render Safe Task Force.
Solovay continued to rise through the ranks in the Princeton Police Department. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2016 and to the rank of lieutenant in 2020.
During his career, Solovay has commanded the Operations Division and Investigative Division. He has also served as the Princeton Police Department’s Field Training and Evaluation commander, and the training coordinator.
Solovay has served as the head of Policy Development and Management and as the accreditation manager. The Princeton Police Department has participated in the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police accreditation process, most recently in 2023.
The new police captain earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Seton Hall University and a master’s degree in administrative science from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Now, Solovay is preparing to attend the 294th session of the FBI National Academy in March 2025.
